Out of the Dark
by Smackalicious
Summary: A routine assignment turns anything but for McGee and Ziva. Eventual McGiva. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Out of the Dark**  
**Pairing: McGee/Ziva**  
**Rating: FR13**  
**Genre: Het**  
**Cat: Action/Adventure (sort of), Drama, Romance**  
**Spoilers: Season 7 in general, Truth or Consequences in particular**  
**Warnings: None.**  
**Summary: A routine assignment turns anything but for McGee and Ziva. **  
**Author's Note: Written for vegas for the Help Haiti auction on NFA. Her prompt was long and involved, so I can't really give too many details without giving the story away, so I'll just say it involves McGiva and leave it at that. **

* * *

"Sailor reported missing in West Virginia," Gibbs reported as he breezed into the squad room. "Gear up."

While Tony and Ziva grabbed their backpacks, McGee remained sitting at his desk. "Boss?" he asked.

Gibbs looked over at him, his eyebrows raised. "What? Something wrong, McGee?"

"Uh, no, it's just that," McGee frowned, "we don't usually go out in the field for missing persons cases."

Ziva paused at her desk, thinking about his logic. "He is right, Gibbs. What is so different about this case?"

"What's so important," Gibbs said, sounding irritated, "is this." He turned on the TV and flipped from one station to the next, all of them focusing on the same news story -- suspected sex trafficking ring leader reported escaped from prison, viewers cautioned to be on the lookout.

"You think this guy kidnapped a sailor?" Tony asked, sounding skeptical.

"Keep watching," Gibbs said, nodding at the TV.

They focused their attention on the news report again, pictures flicking across the screen showing that the men the escaped prisoner targeted matched the appearance of their missing sailor. Once Gibbs saw they made the connection, he turned the TV off and said, "Good enough for me."

"Us, too, Boss," Tony said, grabbing his gun from his desk drawer. McGee and Ziva followed suit, and they made their way to the elevator, their game faces on.

"There's no sign of a struggle, Boss," Tony called, standing from where he had been squatting at the sailor's house, his eyes roving over the pristine living room carpet. Gibbs walked over then and Tony faced him. "In fact, I'd say someone was doing a little bit of cleaning up recently, maybe in order to hide something."

"Maybe Petty Officer Going was just tidy," Ziva commented from the kitchen, pausing in sifting through a cupboard.

Tony scoffed. "No real man is this clean," he commented, causing McGee to poke his head out from a closet in a hallway.

"I'm this clean, Tony," he said, his tone irritated.

Tony smirked. "Like I said, McMaid."

McGee narrowed his eyebrows at Tony. "I happen to like not living in a pigsty, Tony."

"Hey, he's not asking you to clean his house, McGee," Gibbs broke into the fight. "Can we get back to the case now?"

"Of course, Boss," Tony said, but mimicked a dusting motion at McGee when Gibbs turned away. McGee gave him a facetious smile in return, which grew more genuine at the next thing that happened, which was Gibbs slapping Tony's head. Tony rubbed the offended spot and mumbled, "Sorry, Boss."

The next few minutes passed uneventfully, and Gibbs finally said, "We're not going to find anything here."

"That mean we can go home?" Tony asked, already slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

"Yeah, sure," Gibbs said distractedly, flipping through some mail, then turning back to Tony. "You come back to Headquarters with me, DiNozzo. Make some calls."

Tony made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a moan. "Sounds _awesome_," he said, his teeth clenched.

McGee and Ziva began packing up their stuff then, and Gibbs turned to them. "Hey," he said, and they paused and looked up at him. "I didn't say you two."

"Then what --" McGee started, and Gibbs interrupted him.

"You two stay here," he said.

"What are we supposed to do here?" Ziva asked, her brow furrowed. "We have not found any evidence suggesting --"

"We don't have any leads," Gibbs interrupted again. "Maybe Borin forgot something. Either way, there's a chance he could come back, and if he's not expecting anyone to be here . . ." He shrugged.

"Right, Boss," McGee said, nodding, while Tony scoffed in the background.

"So now McGee gets to take down the bad guy while I run background checks?" he asked rhetorically.

Gibbs gave him a look. "Ya done, DiNozzo?"

Tony looked over at him and realized he was on the verge of receiving a head slap, so nodded. "Ah, yeah, Boss. Sorry." He looked back over at McGee and Ziva. "Well, have fun waiting for our bad guy. I'm sure you two will find plenty to do to keep yourselves occupied." He winked at them, causing McGee to roll his eyes.

"Grow up, Tony," he muttered, and Ziva crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then he wouldn't be Tony," she said, and McGee had to nod his head in agreement.

"Come on, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, breaking up the argument. Tony gave McGee and Ziva an exaggerated wave goodbye, causing Gibbs to head slap him again before dragging him out the door to the sounds of Ziva laughing behind them.

When the door closed, McGee turned to Ziva. "I guess we hurry up and wait now, huh?"

Ziva narrowed her eyes at him. "That does not make sense, McGee."

He let out a sigh. This was going to be a long night.

…

"Ziva, what are you doing now?" McGee sighed a few hours later, walking into the kitchen, where Ziva was pulling things from the refrigerator and cupboard and depositing them on the countertop. She looked up over the refrigerator door.

"I'm hungry, McGee. The Petty Officer does not appear to be coming back anytime soon . . ." McGee rolled his eyes and rushed into the kitchen, putting the food back from where it had come. "Hey!" Ziva commented, snatching a jar of mayonnaise from his hands.

"Ziva, you're contaminating the crime scene," he hissed, pushing past her to return some lunchmeat to the refrigerator.

Ziva's head suddenly perked up, unnoticed by McGee. "Shh," she said, having heard something.

McGee rolled his eyes, his head still in the fridge. "I mean, don't you feel like you're invading this guy's life just a little?" he continued.

"Shut _up_, McGee!" Ziva hissed back at him, and he registered then that she wasn't just shushing him for arguing with her. He stood up slowly, allowing the refrigerator door to softly shut behind him. Ziva cocked her head to get a better listen, which was when they heard a loud crash outside. They automatically grabbed for their guns, withdrawing them and making their way toward the noise. As they reached the back door of the house, McGee nodded at Ziva and then yanked the door open . . . only to be greeted with a wooden plank to the face.

"McGee!" Ziva exclaimed softly, dropping to check on him. When she did, however, she found herself in the same position as him, lying unconscious on the floor, but she had been knocked out with a chloroform-soaked rag rather than a board.

A tall, muscular man with dark facial stubble appeared from around the corner of the house, taking Ziva and slinging her over his shoulder. He ran out to non-descript SUV and quickly deposited her in the back, then rushed back to grab McGee, taking him by the ankles and dragging him out to the vehicle. After ensuring they weren't about to wake up anytime soon, he slammed the hatch, rushed around to the driver's side and slipped inside, starting up the vehicle and peeling away from the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"_You've reached Tim McGee. I'm not available to take your call right now, but if you leave your name and number, along with a short message, I will get back to you as soon as possible."_

Tony snapped his phone shut after hearing the pre-recorded message on McGee's voicemail. "McGee's not answering, Boss," he said to Gibbs, who was reading through some case files.

Gibbs didn't look up. "How 'bout Ziva?"

"No answer there, either," Tony said, then froze. "You don't think . . ."

Gibbs looked up then. "What, DiNozzo?"

"Well, ah," Tony started, "if this Borin guy were to come back . . ."

"That's why McGee and Ziva are there, Tony," Gibbs said, returning to his paperwork.

"But wouldn't they answer their phones?" Tony asked. Gibbs glanced up at him and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Not that I'm worried or anything."

Gibbs sighed and closed the file. "Let's check it out, then. If they caught Borin, we'll need to be out there, anyway." He stood from his desk and holstered his gun as Tony did the same, and they headed back out to the Petty Officer's house.

* * *

The SUV sped down the deserted highway, the only companion the rain that had started coming down in sheets. Borin hunched over the wheel, seeking out a good spot to drop the two agents. This stretch of West Virginia seemed pretty empty, or at least as empty as it was going to get. He heard a tiny moan from the back of the cab and swore to himself. One of them was coming to. Probably the man. He needed to get rid of them, and fast.

He saw a dirt road leading into the forest a little way ahead, and slowed down to take it. He'd just dump them here and get the hell out before they regained consciousness and saw his face. He'd just come back to take care of a few last minute details at the house and when he'd seen the car sitting on the street opposite the house, he knew there was something up.

The rain continued to pelt the forest floor, making the ground muddy. He knew he really had to hurry now, so as not to get stuck, though the SUV did have 4-wheel drive. Still, it was better to dispose of the agents as soon as possible.

He drove a good ways into the forest, so the agents wouldn't be seen from the highway, opened the hatch and dragged them from the bed, tossing them to the sloppy ground and then running back to his vehicle and driving away before they could wake up and see his license plate.

As McGee and Ziva continued to lie unconscious, the rain continued its pelting assault, soaking them through. Things were not looking good.

* * *

As soon as Gibbs and Tony pulled up outside the Petty Officer's house, they could sense something was wrong. They stepped out into the pouring rain and ran to the house, taking care to not make their presence obvious in case their suspect happened to be there waiting.

But as they approached the back door, they could see they were too late.

"They're gone, Boss," Tony panted, hands on his thighs as Gibbs stared at the signs of the struggle -- a wooden plank stained with a small amount of blood and a dirty rag.

"Get some evidence bags, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, squatting by the makeshift weapons as Tony ran back to the car. Gibbs shook his head and spoke softly to himself. "Where are you two?"

* * *

McGee groaned and shifted, his eyes fluttering open. He lifted his head and looked around, unable to see much of anything because of the darkness that had settled. He pushed himself to a sitting position, groaning some more, and brought his hand to his face, gently touching the spot where the board had hit him. He couldn't place what happened, but then he remembered . . .

"Ziva," he murmured. The last thing he remembered was waiting at a house with Ziva. She had to be around somewhere . . .

"Ziva?" he called out, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat and tried again, louder. "Ziva, are you there?" He felt around him; from the temperature and the fact that his clothes were soaked through, he could tell he was outside. Where, he had no idea, but the ground was muddy, and when he looked up, the moon was partially hidden . . . by trees. Lots of them. He must be in some forest somewhere.

_They._ Ziva had to be here, too. She couldn't be . . . No. He wouldn't even think it. Besides, he would know. He wasn't sure why, but he just knew she wasn't dead.

Now, he just needed to figure out where the hell he was.

He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling a bit. As he did, he noticed something shift in his pants pocket and an amazed grin crossed his face. He reached in and pulled out . . .

"My phone." He touched the screen and it lit up. He had a signal -- a weak one, so he wouldn't really be able to call for help, but maybe he could try to figure out where he was. He held it out in front of him, surrounding himself with a dim aura, and was so focused on looking around at the scenery that he nearly tripped.

He looked down to see what was in his way, and fell to his knees in shock and a bit of panic as he saw Ziva lying there, motionless.

"Ziva, oh my God," he breathed, brushing soggy hair from her face with a shaking hand. He tilted his head down to listen to her chest and was relieved to hear a mild heartbeat. But she was unconscious, and he knew he needed to get her somewhere warm and dry before hypothermia set in.

Frustrated, he stood up, trying to determine what to do next. Should he go look for shelter and leave Ziva here? Should he take her with him in his search and risk running out of energy before finding a suitable place to keep dry? Both options sounded doomed to failure, but at this point, there wasn't a lot else he could do.

He looked down at her again and he felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach upon looking at her. _I can't leave you here_, he thought. He stooped down beside her again and slid his arms under her, gathering her in his embrace. He bit his lip as he tried to ignore how light she was, like a doll stuffed with feathers. The only thing that weighed her down any amount was her clothes, sopping wet and freezing cold.

He'd had to put his phone down to pick Ziva up and realized after lifting her that he had no real way to light the way. He grumbled to himself and squatted again, laying her down with as much gentleness as he could muster. As he did so, it began sprinkling again, so he quickly picked up the phone and brushed it off, then looked back at Ziva, his mind spinning in circles as to what to do now.

The rain began coming down faster then, and he knew he couldn't wait any longer, and he knew Ziva would probably be mad if she knew what he was about to do, but he didn't have a choice at the moment. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, then tossed her over his shoulder and began running, his phone lighting the way.

As he ran through the forest, he searched for a cave or a hunting shack, anything where they could take shelter and keep dry and relatively warm. It was late March, so the temperatures were mild enough not to cause too much harm, but the rain only served to cool things down further, and McGee knew he needed to find a place for them before it started storming.

He ran for what seemed ages, until he had to slow down because of a stitch in his side. He stopped to catch his breath and when he looked up, he thought he was seeing a mirage.

In front of him stood a cabin.

His adrenaline restored, McGee took off again, until he reached the door of the cabin. There was a driveway on one side of the building, but it was covered in leaves and pine needles and looked as though it hadn't been used in quite awhile, so he didn't feel any guilt in trying the door, and wanted to jump for joy when it opened for him.

The door creaked open and he poked his head in, listening for the sounds of any life inside. Hearing nothing but the rain, he stepped in, immediately taking comfort in the dryness of the shelter. He used his phone to look around for a light switch, or a fireplace, anything to help him see better.

After a few minutes of looking, he found a box of candles and some matches in a cupboard. He paused then, knowing he had to put Ziva down before he could grab the supplies. He turned for what he assumed was meant to be the living room, a large room on the other side of the cabin, and laid Ziva on the floor, taking a moment to brush her hair away from her face before he went back for the candles.

As he looked down at her, he swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. He couldn't imagine NCIS without her. They'd almost lost her a few times, but now . . . He wasn't sure if the rest of the team realized, but since Ziva had returned from Somalia, he and she had grown closer than they had been, and she really had become his favorite person to spend time with. Not only that, but he'd come very close more than once to crossing the line and if not making a move on her, just letting her know how he felt.

They were good friends, yes, but he wasn't getting any younger, and he could tell just from the time they spent together that she wanted the same things in the future that he did. He knew that if she was open to it, they could make each other happy.

He let out a sigh. "That's not important right now," he said, his voice soft. He picked up Ziva's hand for a moment, rubbing his thumb along the back of her knuckles, then set it on the floor again, standing to go get the candles.

As he turned and started walking back to the kitchen, he suddenly heard a soft moan behind him. He paused. Was that . . .

"Tony?"

McGee turned back around at Ziva's voice. Tony? Why would she say his name? They hadn't seen him since earlier that afternoon. But . . . that wasn't important. Ziva was coming to, and he needed to get her warm and dry so she didn't go into shock.

He rushed back to the kitchen and fumbled in the cupboards for the candles and matches, grabbing a handful of each and stumbling back to Ziva's side. He dumped the materials on the floor, using his phone as a guide to help him light the candles, which he did, albeit with shaking hands. Once he succeeded in setting flame to a candle, he transferred the fire to a few more candles and set them up on all sides of himself and Ziva, then turned back to her.

He needed to warm her up. That meant he was probably going to have to undress her. He wasn't entirely comfortable with that, but it was what was necessary in the situation.

Her eyes were still clenched shut, like she was trying to hide from some kind of nightmare. McGee reached down and placed a hand on her face, gently caressing her skin. "Hey, Ziva, it's me," he said, his voice calming. "McGee."

She shook her head, still in a state of limbo. "Tony . . ." she insisted, and McGee found himself gritting his teeth. She was delusional, that much was obvious, but why did she have to say Tony's name, of all people? He was just so . . . Tony, and McGee would be lying if he said he hadn't felt threatened by him when it came to Ziva and her love interests. Yeah, they bickered like an old married couple, but . . . they bickered like an old married couple. That said it all.

"Ziva, I have to get you out of these clothes," he said, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. This was no time to be self-conscious. He slid an arm under her back, then moved around behind her, propping her up against him so he could remove her shirt. Once he had peeled the wet cloth from her torso, he laid her back down, trying to ignore the way her bra was clinging to her chest. He then moved to her pants, hoping for his sake that she was wearing underwear of some sort, hopefully something that covered a good portion of skin. He had a feeling she was fond of thongs and other tiny undergarments.

Once her pants were off (and her nether regions thankfully covered), he found a blanket nearby and covered her, then gave her a gentle shake. "Hey, open your eyes. It's okay. I'm here." He paused, about to add, "McGee," but Ziva's eyes flickered open then and she looked at him in confusion.

"Tony?" she murmured again, and McGee exploded inside his head.

"No, Ziva, it's McGee," he said, his tone strained. "Come on, you know me. Why would you think I'm Tony?" He couldn't help the annoyed tone to his voice and felt bad about it, but it was just so damn frustrating!

Ziva looked down at her mostly naked body covered with just the blanket McGee had found, then back up at McGee. "I did not imagine you would try to get me naked while I was passed out, McGee," she said, and McGee gave her an incredulous look.

"So you know who I am . . ." he started.

Ziva rolled her eyes and attempted to sit up, and McGee quickly moved behind her to help her. "Of course I know who you are, McGee," she said, grabbing his thigh to prop herself up. "Thank you." She paused then, catching her breath, before asking, "Why did you undress me?"

McGee felt his face heat up. "You . . . you, uh, were unconscious and your clothes were soaked through from the rain . . . I wasn't trying to take advantage of you or anything."

Ziva turned slightly and reached behind her to give McGee a very weak slap across the face. "I know you weren't, McGee," she said, and McGee wasn't sure if it was just him being hopeful, but he thought she sounded almost a bit disappointed that he wasn't even interested. Not that that was the case, of course.

"But not that you're not worthy of that," McGee said suddenly, and regretted the words as soon as they exited his mouth. It wasn't that they weren't true; it just sounded so callous the way he said it. "Sorry," he mumbled before Ziva could say anything. "I didn't mean to say . . ." He stopped apologizing then, as he realized Ziva had gone limp again. He frowned. "Ziva? Hey, you okay?" His heart began beating faster when she didn't respond, and he shook her gently. "Ziva, come on. Don't do this."

He was relieved only by a sudden snore from Ziva. Closing his eyes, he smiled to himself and ran a hand over Ziva's hair, then carefully laid her on the floor again so she could sleep comfortably. He had to laugh as he looked down at her, her mouth hanging open as she dozed. She looked so cute. He reached for a candle, preparing to get up and go in search of a bedroom somewhere so Ziva could sleep in a bed, but when he stood up, he felt Ziva's hand wrap around his ankle.

When he looked down at her, he found her awake again and looking up at him with sleepy eyes. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm just gonna find a bedroom so you can sleep in a bed," McGee responded, and Ziva released his leg and nodded, closing her eyes again.

"I'll be right back," he whispered, and walked away, casting glances over his shoulder as he went. Not long passed before he found a small room with an equally small bed. It wasn't much, but it would do. He kept the location in mind as he headed back to Ziva, but when he returned to her, saw that she was shaking. He knelt beside her, touching her face softly. "Hey, you okay?"

Her eyes flicked open then and she tried to hide the fear in them, but McGee saw it before she could put on her warrior expression. "Just a little cold," she said, and McGee mentally head slapped himself. He should have concentrated on warming her up with more than just the thin blanket he'd found more than finding a bedroom.

"I'm sorry, Ziva," he said, and paused, not knowing what to do next. "Uh, can you walk? Or, uh, do you need me to carry you?" He felt his face flush again at the thought of carrying a practically naked Ziva the few yards to the bedroom. It wouldn't have been as bad earlier, but now she was awake and --

"I am not sure I am strong enough to walk." Ziva's voice interrupted McGee's thoughts, and he looked down at her. She was looking down at the floor, clearly embarrassed to have to ask for help, especially in the state of undress she was in.

"Okay," McGee said, and waited for her to look up at him. When she didn't, he sighed softly and slid his arms under her once more, easily scooping her up, then carefully picked up a candle to light their way. As he stood, Ziva wrapped her arms around his neck and curled herself into his neck. McGee felt his heart skip a beat and had to force himself to calm down. Ziva was vulnerable right now; she wasn't thinking clearly. He couldn't let his guard down and let her see how he felt about her. It wasn't the right time.

As they reached the bedroom and he set the candle on a nightstand and laid Ziva on the bed, he turned to leave the room, to go take his own wet clothes off so he could warm up himself, when he heard Ziva's voice behind him.

"McGee, don't go," she said.

He closed his eyes, still facing the door. He didn't want to leave, but he knew he shouldn't stay, either. "I have to get out of these clothes, Ziva," he said, and was annoyed to find his voice thick.

She laughed a little. "I can barely see you. If you are being modest . . ."

"No, Ziva," McGee said, his voice stronger this time. He waited a few more moments, then turned to face her. "I don't want something . . ." He sighed. "You could have a concussion. You aren't thinking rationally." Ziva opened her mouth to respond, but McGee continued before she could speak. "I don't want you to regret this later."

Ziva was silent for a moment, then finally spoke. "Tim," she said, and the use of his first name made McGee take notice. "You do not know what I am thinking. And you don't know how I feel."

That made him take pause. He knew he was probably going to regret this, but he had to ask . . . "How _do _you feel?" he said, his voice soft.

Ziva paused for a moment and McGee let out a sigh, already having second thoughts. He was about to leave to undress when he heard her speak. "I feel safe when I am with you. I know I can trust you. That is all I need."

McGee soaked in her words before responding. "All you need?" he repeated, unsure he was getting her full meaning. He walked a few steps toward the bed, the flickering candle illuminating Ziva's face. She looked slightly self-conscious, but didn't look away from him, yet didn't make any attempt to speak, either. McGee took charge and sat down on the edge of the mattress, not taking his eyes off her. "What do you mean, Ziva?"

She kept her eyes on his for another moment, then quickly looked away. "We should not be doing this," she finally said, and McGee felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach, but he forced himself to nod.

"Right," he said, pushing himself to his feet. "I'll let you get some rest. I should change." He turned and walked back out to the living room, using his phone as a guide this time, while Ziva pushed herself into a sitting position, leaning on one arm, and watched him leave the room.

Once in the living room, McGee began to undress, his movements robotic as his thoughts took over. He knew Ziva was right; this wasn't the right time to be doing this. But it didn't stop him from feeling like she was just regretting the whole thing and she really didn't want to be with him.

He finished undressing, tossing his wet clothes in a pile, and sat down on the wood floor in just his boxers after grabbing another blanket from the cabinet where he'd found the one currently wrapped around Ziva. His shoulders slumped, he sat in contemplative silence, waiting for morning.

* * *

**One chapter left! Keep those reviews coming! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait. No real excuse aside from laziness/forgetfulness here. :P But here it is!_

**Chapter Three**_  
_

Tony sat in the team's Charger, thinking. He and Gibbs had no real leads on where McGee and Ziva could be, so the only thing they could do now was scour the scene for clues or put out a BOLO for the pair. He just hoped Gibbs would come up with something . . .

"DiNozzo!"

Tony's head jerked up at the sound of Gibbs' voice and he got out of the car. "Find something, Boss?"

Gibbs nodded and Tony perked up even more. "Come on," Gibbs said, and Tony jogged to the older man, a grin on his face.

They _would _find them.

…

McGee continued to sit cross-legged on the floor, simply staring at the wood while candles flickered around him. He really should have stayed with Ziva, to make sure she was okay, but he wasn't sure he could bear being in the same room as her right now.

He scoffed even as the thought hung in his mind. "Man up, Tim," he muttered to himself. "She's your partner and you have to worry about her first, not your own damn feelings."

"What feelings are those?"

McGee nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice behind him. He flipped to face Ziva, who was standing in the hallway, wrapped in the blanket he'd found for her earlier. "I thought you were too weak to walk," he said, the only words he could think to say right then.

"Maybe I lied," she responded, her voice soft. She padded toward him, and he found himself wrapping his own blanket tighter around his body.

When Ziva reached him, she walked around him and lowered herself to the floor, kneeling across from him so she could look at him while she talked. Or, as it turned out, while they sat in silence.

After what felt like hours of quiet, Ziva finally said, "Aren't you going to ask me why I lied to you?"

McGee shrugged a shoulder, not meeting her eyes. "I don't have to." He raised his eyes then and did look into her eyes, and the look she was giving him made his heart break. "Why didn't you just say something?"

She gave him a broken smile. "It was not quite that easy, McGee. I could not bear the thought . . ." She shook her head and gave a hiccup of a laugh. "I am not as brave as you think I am." She looked away, staring at the candlewax melting on the floor and smiled again. "Are you trying to burn this cabin down? You should put something under those . . ." She reached for one of the candles, but McGee intercepted her hand before she could grab it. She looked up at him, startled by his forwardness, then let her gaze drift down to their joined hands.

"Ziva, look at me," McGee said, his voice soft but firm. It took her a moment, but she finally did look at him. McGee swallowed his fear and anxiety and spoke again. "I want to do this, and I know we can make it work, but I need to know that you want the same things I do." He continued to plead with her using his eyes, and when it seemed she wasn't going to respond in any way, sighed. "Alright, if that's --"

He was cut off by Ziva suddenly wrapping her arms around him, her face pressed into his neck. He sat in shock for a few moments, then relaxed and returned the hug, his palms running comforting paths down her back. They sat like that for a few more minutes, simply holding each other, until Ziva lifted her head, pulling away from him.

"Sorry," she said, and McGee had to laugh.

"What are you sorry about?" he asked softly, reaching out to brush her hair from her face.

"I should have asked before I hugged you," she said, and couldn't keep the hint of a smile from her face, as much as she tried.

McGee grinned at her, shaking his head. "You never have to ask me permission to hug me, Ziva."

She nodded and smiled, but then looked thoughtful. McGee frowned slightly as she asked, "I have another question for you, then."

"Anything, Ziva," he replied instantly.

She sat up straighter. "Do I need to ask permission to kiss you?" He simply stared at her, blinking, and instead of answering verbally, his lips crept up into a smile of disbelief. Ziva held back a smile of her own. "I will take that to mean no."

McGee shook his head, and said, "No . . . I mean, yes! It's okay. You don't have to ask. Though some warning would --"

Once again, he found himself interrupted, this time by Ziva kissing him. He returned the kiss with fervor, and Ziva pulled away, leaving McGee looking confused.

"What?" he asked, breathing heavily. "Did I do something wrong? Am I a bad kisser? Because I've been told I'm a pretty good kisser, really . . ."

Ziva shook her head, smiling, and reached for his hand, sliding hers into it and squeezing. "There is no rush, McGee. I am not going anywhere. Slow down." Her smile turned into a sneaky smirk. "I do not think I'm up for anything that wild tonight, anyway."

McGee felt a blush creep into his cheeks at her suggestion, but kept smiling as he moved his fingers to lace through hers. A companionable silence fell between them, interrupted only by Ziva scooting across the floor to sit next to him and resting her head on his shoulder. McGee let out a content sigh, then asked, "So where do we go from here?"

Ziva was silent for a moment, then said, "Back to the bedroom."

McGee jolted. "What? I thought you said . . ."

Ziva laughed, a sweet sound in the dark. "I am tired. And I would imagine you are, as well. We should get some sleep." She patted him on the leg, and he looked over at her.

"Sure you're not just trying to get me into bed with you?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Maybe, but I really am tired," she said, and made an attempt to stand.

"Here, wait," McGee said, and pushed himself to his feet before reaching down to offer Ziva a hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. She rested a hand against his stomach, looking at his chest, then patted it a few times and moved her hand into his.

"You alright?" McGee asked her.

She nodded. "Yes. I think I am."

He smiled. "Good." He reached down to pick up a candle, and blow the others out, and they started the walk back to the bedroom, when McGee suddenly stopped.

"What?" Ziva asked. "What's wrong?"

"I can't let you go to sleep," he said, his voice taking on a note of panic. "What if you have a concussion?"

"I'm fine, McGee," Ziva assured him. He still looked unsure, so she sighed and said, "But I will stay awake if that will make you more comfortable."

"I just don't want anything to happen to you," he said, his voice soft.

"Nothing will," Ziva responded, sounding confident. "I trust you."

McGee looked down at her. "And I trust you. Come on." They finished walking to the bedroom, closing the door behind them once they came inside.

…

"I think I see something, Boss!" Tony announced over his walkie-talkie, and took off running. "Yep, got a cabin. This could be something!"

Gibbs turned to the state troopers beside him and nodded before he and a few of the other officers on scene took a jog into the forest where Tony had headed, hoping that the cabin he'd spotted was where McGee and Ziva were, and that they were alive.

After about 20 minutes, they reached the outside of the cabin and saw Tony staking out the windows. He noticed Gibbs and walked over.

"Doesn't look like anyone drove in here, Boss," he said.

Gibbs walked up to the side of the cabin and peered in the living room window, saying, "Yeah, well, that doesn't mean no one was here." He walked around to the door, Tony following him with a confused look.

"How do you --"

"Candles on the floor, DiNozzo," he said, jiggling the doorknob. When he saw that it was unlocked, he turned to Tony and nodded, before quietly opening the door.

The two agents entered the cabin, studying the layout and looking for anything amiss. Gibbs walked to the living room to check out the candles.

"Wax is still sticky," he announced. "They were here."

"Maybe still are," Tony muttered, looking around. He noticed the hallway then. "Boss." Gibbs looked up and he jerked his head toward the hall.

"Let's check it out," Gibbs said, and both men started down the hall, both eager and nervous about what they might find.

"Closed door, Boss," Tony said softly as they approached the bedroom. "Ready?" Gibbs nodded and Tony quietly opened the door, poking his head inside. His eyes widened and he removed his head again, closing the door and turning to Gibbs. "You gotta see this, Boss."

Gibbs grew grim at the tone of Tony's voice and pushed past him, opening the door and expecting the worst and finding . . .

McGee and Ziva curled up asleep on the bed, McGee's arm resting comfortably over Ziva's body.

He held back a smile and backed out of the room again, just as Tony had, and closed the door behind him. He faced Tony, who had a look of disbelief on his face.

"That's it?" he said. "You're not going to bust them?" His expression looked pained. "Come on! It would be epic! More epic than epic, even!"

Gibbs smirked at him. "You want them to be 'busted' so bad, DiNozzo, you do it," he said, then walked back toward the door to go outside again.

Tony stared after him in disbelief, but then realized the power Gibbs was giving him and grinned. He turned back to the bedroom door again. "Oh, Probies . . ."

…

"I just don't understand," McGee said, wrapping a blanket around Ziva's shoulders, since she was still essentially undressed. He turned back to Tony, shaking his head. "How did you find us?"

Tony opened his mouth to respond, but another voice did before he could. "Our Petty Officer had a security system . . . including a video camera." Gibbs walked into view. "We checked the tape and saw the vehicle, including the license plate, and saw the kidnapping."

Ziva narrowed her eyes in confusion. "But how did you know we were _here_?" She looked up at Gibbs.

"Put out a search on the plate and found out someone was in a little bit of a hurry to get out of the forest the other night," Tony said, a smug look on his face. "He crashed about a quarter of a mile from here. Nasty curve."

McGee's eyes widened at the news. "Is he dead?"

Tony snorted. "If only." Gibbs glared at him and he cleared his throat and continued. "Right. Ah, no. Broke his arm."

"Are you holding him for interrogation?" Ziva asked, pulling the blanket tighter around herself as she started to shiver again. McGee noticed and moved to put his arm around her, but resisted at the last minute, remembering Gibbs and Tony's presence, and settled for gently rubbing her back. Tony raised an eyebrow at the action and shifted his gaze to Gibbs, but the older man's face was a blank canvas.

"Yeah," was all Gibbs said, then turned and looked toward the door of the bedroom. "Come on, you two need to get dressed." He held a hand out to McGee, who shook his head and pushed himself to his feet, offering Ziva his own hand as he did so. She took it and stood, looking at Gibbs with an expression that asked for forgiveness for what she and McGee had done, and found in his eyes a look that said she needn't have asked -- he understood.

The four agents walked from the bedroom, Tony sneaking glances behind him at McGee and Ziva, both of whom seemed out of sorts.

"Hey, Boss," McGee said as they reached the living room. Gibbs turned to face him and McGee gave him a curious look. "What about the Petty Officer?"

Gibbs studied him for a moment, then turned and walked out of the cabin, leaving McGee to look at Tony and Ziva in wonder. "Tony?" McGee asked then, and the senior agent shrugged.

"Not every part of this story has a happy ending, McRomeo," he said, and walked out to join Gibbs outside.

McGee and Ziva stared after them and Ziva finally said, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Only one way to find out," McGee said, and they stopped momentarily to put on their mostly dry clothes, then joined the remainder of their team outside.

"P.O. Going was Borin's accomplice," Gibbs said before McGee could say anything. "We found his DNA in Borin's vehicle, and the security footage proved our suspicions."

"It is how he escaped from prison," Ziva mused, nodding.

"So I guess that's it, huh?" McGee said, letting out a sigh.

"Yep," Gibbs said, and Tony nodded. Silence fell among the team then, and Ziva opened her mouth to speak, but Gibbs did again before she could. "You better have a damn good explanation for that hickey for Vance, David. God knows he won't be as understanding as me."

Both McGee and Ziva flushed, their eyes wide, as Tony grinned and walked backwards after Gibbs, calling out in a sing-song voice, "Bus-ted."

McGee gulped. "Sorry, Ziva. I didn't mean . . ."

Ziva began following Tony and Gibbs then, a smirk on her face, and her words made McGee flush even more.

"Who said I was the one with the hickey?"

**THE END!**

Thanks for reading, guys!**  
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